Description
Object description
German Jewish physicist at University of Göttingen, Germany, 1933; emigrated from Germany to GB, 1933; refugee physicist with Imperial Chemical Industries at Clarendon Laboratory at University of Oxford in Oxford, GB, 1933-1943; worked on Manhattan Project in United States of America, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Breslau, Lüben and Göttingen, Germany, 1904-1933: family; education; decision to study physics under James Franck at University of Göttingen; incidents of anti-Semitism. Aspects of period as physicist at University of Göttingen in Germany, 1933: attitude towards rise of Nazism; how the head of physics department James Franck spoke out against anti-Semitism and was forced to leave Germany; his dismissal from university, 1933; relations with non-Jewish university colleagues; decision to emigrate; receiving offer from Professor Frederick Lindemann to work for Imperial Chemical Industries at Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford in GB; background to leaving Germany and behaviour of British consul in Hamburg. Recollections of period as refugee physicist with Imperial Chemical Industries at Clarendon Laboratory, Univesity of Oxford in Oxford, GB, 1933-1939: journey to and initial impressions of Oxford, 8/1933; opinion of Professor Derek Jackson; financial and accommodation arrangements.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude towards status as refugee and coping with English language; relations with scientific colleagues; attitude of British public towards refugees; refugee circle centred on Professor Francis Simon's home in Oxford; working relationship between Professors Francis Simon and Frederick Lindemann. Recollections of period as physicist at Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford in Oxford, GB, 9/1939-8/1945: wartime work of laboratory; naturalisation, 1939; comparison of life in Germany and GB during 1930s; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; reasons for not evacuating children to Canada; opinion of British Government's internment policy; start of involvement in atomic research under Professor Francis Simon; security precautions; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; relations between British and American scientists working on Manhattan Project observed during visits to United States of America, 1943-1944.
REEL 3 Continues: number of refugee scientists working on Manhattan Project; reasons why some scientists remained in GB and only made occasional visits to United States of America whilst working on Manhattan Project; impressions of Klaus Fuchs. Reflections on period as refugee in GB: attitude towards post-war visits to Germany; attitude towards nationality and regarding GB as home; opinion of need for refugees to integrate into British society; children's attitude towards German heritage; receiving compensation from post-war West German Government; maintaining contact with other refugees; opinion of help received from British Government and individuals; question of experiences as refugee.